The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-06
My Pre-ExistenceY
BY HENRY o'NEILL.

through Leicester square. l passed
;he ALEXANDRIA Theater, and entered the
shop of dealer in foreign stamps,
coins. and other curiosities. On con-
,luding my business with him, | was
about to depart when man came in
It the front door and passed me, as if
about to enter by the door at the back
,f the shop leading to the private part
Of the house. A lodger, concluded,
As | turned up the collar OF my coat
previous to sallying forth into the fog.
Before / had crossed the threshold
hand was laid upon my arm, and 4
ow, rich, and eloquent voice said:
Pardon me, young sir, but we must
nave met before. You are Critic
confess fcltnot only establishment.
BIZ, alarm at this address, and turned
suddenly to see what manner of man
lad spoken to me- There was no APP
oerance of insanity in that well-iormed,
intellectual face. with the most le-
markable pair of eyes | had ever seem
They seemed to look me through and
through, and to hold me, in spite of
myself, rs the eyes OF the Ancient
Mariner held the wedding guest.
you are mistaken, sir, replied;
81 am not Critic. My name is Henry
O'Neill, at your service" and | took
out nv card-case.
lie waved away the card offered
him a little impatiently, thought, as
he said:
"Alas! alas! that the bonds OF the
flesh so bind down the majority OF man
kind; but for these we should indeed be
as gods My good sir | knew You in
iimately let me sec-yes, in Athens,
three hundred and tliirty-iivo years be-
fore the birth Of Christ"
That | had met mailman | had now
no doubt. ] turned to the shopman,
who might have heard the CONVERSE
ton
There was nothing TO alarm me in
his face He merely smiled serenely,
as if The meeting with n stranger who
claimed to know one over two thous-
and years ago was matter Oh
every day occurrence.
The stran GER, too, smiled when ]
aga.n looked at him, not rs u mailman
would smile, but pnyingly, fanced.
1--WE cannot converse here. my dear
friend, for ! must SO call YOU. VIII
you do me The favor to step up stairs
into my sitting. room, where can eN-
plain how | know YOU and give you a
glimpse OF your former life, which
ought above all things to interest YOU
Without waiting for n reply. he open
ed the door ut the back of the shop,
and began To ascend flight of stairs
which u gaslight in the passage reveal
ed. | turned to the shopman and spoke
IN = low aoitated voice for ! was great
" agitated by curiosity and doubt
ais he little derangedg" | asked.
mo. SIR he replied. with stare OF
surprise. "Why, every body knows
HIM he is professor of languages IN
~
knew him well by reputation, n
wonderful linguisl, a Grccian among
Grecians. an old Roman. an Assyrian,
an Egyptian. q decipherer of ancient
hieroglyphic inscriptions. ] shall not
give his real name at present. for IL
would be breach OF confidence, and
many persons might brand clever
man madman, rs | did on the first inn
pulse. followed him TO his sitting
room on the first floor. II was comfor-
table, if not luxuriously. furnished. A
rire leaped and famed in the low, wide
crate, and the curtains were drawn
closely over the pair of windows.
With a motion he invited me TO be
seated. | obeved. and waited for my
companion to speak. He had liked his
ewes on the fire, and seemed TO forget
nv presence. | studied his features
closely-the straight nose. the we'll
shaped. firm mouth, the flowing, silvery
beard. and the hair parted in the mid
die of his head and falling on his coat
collar. As gazed Il wonderful sensa-
ton came over me- felt as if had
known that face always. rs il IT was
linked in my memory with my father
and mother. sister and bother; as If. in
short. had grown up with it before
and around me through all my short
life, for / am scarcely twenty-five. He
looked ND suddenly. and blnshed.
Your old trick, Crito-blushing like
n school girl"
"Sir," / siammered. 'you confuse
and bewildcr me. Many would believe
Won were mad. but IL seem TO have
caught the infection. If il be madness.
for lfancicd just now that | had known
YOU all my life.
yes. yes; il could not be otherwise.